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"F, W. LINAKER ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR vCLEANIIIG: BOILER TUBES Filed April 6, 1920 4 sheetsgsheet INVENTORS MM W75 y ltorneys,

A ril14, 1925.

F. \NQLINAKER ET AL ABEARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed April 6. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig/5 INVENTORS April 14, 1925. 1,533,873

F. w. LINAKER ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed Aprii 6, 1920 4 s t -s t 3 ApriI"14,'1925A 1,533,873

F. W. LINAKER ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed April 6, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 6.

Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

FREDERICK VJ. LIN AKER AND THEODORE M; BE'UJEEAC or minors, rniiiis'rnvanm.

APPARATUS AND METHOD CLEANING BOILER TUBES.

Application filed April 6, 1920.

Z '0 all 1071 am it may 007166741 lie it known that we, FREDERICK W LIN- niticn and THEODORE M. Bnnnnon, the former a subject ot the King of Great Britain and the latter a citizen of the United States of America, both residing in Du bois, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus and lilethods for Cleaning Boiler Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tube cleaners and combinations of such cleaners with tube systems, more particularly the tube system of a fire tube boiler, and to a. method of cleaning boilers, and aims to provide improvements therein.

The present invention provides a method whereby a draft is induced in one tube (or set oi tubes), and a direct draft produced in another tube (or set of tubes), whereby a couple is set up in the two tubes (or two sets of tubes). thereby producing a more effective dislodgment of ash and soot particles, and consequently a better cleaning of the tubes.

The invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method. The invention further provides an apps-- ratus wherein the cleaning elements are connec ed to a source of compressed cleaning fluid supply in such manner that said fluid may be simultaneously admitted to an equal number (or equivalent number) of cleaning elen'ients discharging in opposite directions; and whereby, furthermore, another set of cleaning elements may be connected to the source oi fluid supply in suchmanner as to produce a couple in which the direction of the drafts through the tubes is reversed. v

The. invention further provides a novel combii'iation of the foregoing apparatus with a tube system.

'l he invention further provides novel combinations and sub-combinations forpro: ducing in an advantageous manner the effects above set forth.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

in said drawings,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view tire tube boiler provided with the pres cut improvements, only one end of the boiler being shown; i

Serial No. 371,729.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line lIl.I, Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and showing the parts in plan and horizontal section,and Fig. -lshowing the parts in elevation and vertical section;

Fig. 5 is a detail enlarged sectional view on the line V-V, Fig. i. i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a tire tube boiler, which may be taken to be a portion of the boiler shown in Fig. 2. Figi'i' is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 3', showing a tube a: which may be the same as one of those shown in Fig. 3, and another tube a." which may be upon the opposite side of the boiler, these tubes corresponding to the tubes to a in Fig. 6; the elements being rearranged for greater clearness. 8 is an enlarged detail showing one of the nozzles tudiual mid-section. v

Referring to said drawings, X designates a structure comprising a tube system as, for example, a fire tube boiler having a series lire tubes as therein.

The cleaning means comprise a cleaner element 10 or 10 having a jet-forming nozzle 11 or 11 thereon, and further. coinprise a cleaner element or 20 having a jet-forming nozzle 21 or 21" thereon. The jet-forming nozzles 11 and 21 are located in the fire tubes, preferably near one end of the tubes, and these nozzles are adapted to direct jets in opposite directions through the tubes.

The jet nozzles 11, 11, 21 and 21, are of the construction shown in F ig. 8, which shows one of the nozzles 21 connected to its pipe 20 through a reversing connection or return bend. The'jet nozzles are expanding or accelerating nozzles, being formed,

as clearly shown in thisligure, with a contracted inner end, and expanding thence to a larger outer end, so that the steam or fluid under pressure is held under substam tially supply pipe pressure until it enters the nozzle, and accelerates in passing tl'irough the nozzle, so as to attain a high velocity. The nozzles are directed with their axes parallel to the pipes 3 and to the boiler fines. so that the jets issuing therefrom are parallel to and as nearly as possible coinciare detail views, Fig.

and its connections in long-L dent with, the axes of the fines, and are eli'ective to induce a powerful flow of gases through the lines in the direction of the jets.

The nozzles 11 and 21 are adapted to work in pairs, so as to produce a force couple in two tubes. The nozzle 2-1, which works in conjunction with its complementary nozzle 11, is located in a different tube from that in which the nozzle 11 is located, and, moreover, the nozzlesare preferably located adjacent the same end of their respective tubes. Cleaning fluid (most conveniently steam from the boiler) is admitted to the pair of cleaners 10' and 20 or 10 and 20, so that both related nozzles discharge together. The direct-acting nozzle 11, discharges a strong jet of cleaning fluid from the end in which it is located toward the remote end, dislodging soot and ash'accumulations in the tube. At the same time the nozzle 21 in anotherrtube discharges cleaning fluid ina direction toward the end of the fire tube in which it is located, thereby inducing a strong draft from the remote end of its tube. The action of the directacting nozzle 11 will be to create an increased pressure in the zone at the remote end of its'fire tube, and the action of the induction nozzle 21 will be to create a reduction in pressure in the zone at the near end of itslire tube. There will, therefore, be a considerable difference of pressure between the ends of the lire tubes, and the result will be an extra strong draft through the tube in which the induction nozzle is discharging. This extra strong draft will render the action of the cleaner very etiicient in dislodging all particles of soot and ash in the tubes. The particles of soot and ash which are dislodged in the tube containing the direct-acting nozzle, and which will be drawn into the tube containing the induction nozzle, will have a beneficial re sult therein, inasmuch as the impingement of these particles upon particles of soot and ash incrusted in the fire tube containing the induction nozzle, will be more effective than the impingement of gas particles alone in disl-odging said incrusted ash and soot.

The action thus described may be better understood by referring to Fig. 6 with reference to the cleaner elen'ients 10, 20, and the nozzles 11, 21, shown in full lines there in. The cleaner elements 10 may be assumed to be located on one side or half of the boiler, while the elements 20 are on the other side or halt. Both are fed with steam "from the same header l0 under control of valve 60. When this valve is opened, the steam discharged from nozzles 11 blows in one direction through the tubes on one side, while the steam discharged from the induction nozzles 21 blows in the contrary direction through the tubes on the other side of the boiler; thus causing a circulation in horizontal direction in the direction indi cated by the full line'arrow 3 The elements may also bearranged so as to reverse the direction of the cleaning draft through the tubes a. To this end, eachtube having a direct-acting element 10 therein is also provided with an element 20 having an indirect or induction nozzle 21 thereon. in each tube having an indirectacting induction cleaner element 20 therein, there is also provided a direct-acting cleaner 10 having a discharge nozzle 11, and nozzles 21 and 11 actingto discharge cleaning fluid in the same direction and manner as the nozzles 21 and 11. These additional cleaner tubes and nozzles are shown in Fig. 7, and are also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, but in this figure for clearness are shown in other fire tubes than those containing the cleaners 10, 20. To reversethe draitt after the cleaning fluid is cut off from a related pair of cleaner elements 10 and 20, cleaning fluid is admitted to the related cleaner elements 10 and 20 located in the same tubes. (See dotted lines in Fig. (3.) The discharge from the nozzle 21, being toward the near end of the tube and in the opposite direction to the discharge from the nozzle 11, and the discharge from the nozzle 11 toward the far end of the tube in which it is located, and in the opposite direction to the discharge ofthe nozzle 21, will re verse the direction of the cleaning draft through the said related tubes in which the cleaners l0 and 20 are located. (See dotted arrows in Fig. 6.)

While, for the purpose of simplicity of explanation, the construction and operation of two pairs of cleaners 10, 20, and 10, and 20, in a pair of lire tubes as, as, have been described, it will be perceived and understood that a multiplicity of the cleaner elements 10, 10, Q0, 20, are provided inconnection' with the tube system, one group of direct acting cleaners 10 being adapted to coact with another group of induction or indirect-acting cleaner elements 20. \Vhere a separate set of cleaners 10, 20, are provided for reversing the cleaning dral't through-the tubes, as is preferably the case, one group of direct-acting cleaners 10 coacts with a. group of the indirect or induction cleaners,20. Moreover, it is preferable to have the nozzles which act in one direction, as for example the nozzles 10, together in an adjacent set or tubes, as for example in the tubes in one side of the boiler, and the nozzles 20, together in anther adjacent set of tubes, as for example in the tubes in the opposite side of the boiler. The tubes 10" and 20 are likewise preterably arranged in adjacent sets of tubes on the two sic es of the boiler. For constructional purposes it may be sullicient to provide cleaners in some of the tubes acting in ldl) only one direction; for example, in the outside tubes a, only one induction nozzle is placed in each tube.

Moreover, it is preferable to admit the cleaning fluid to the related sets of direct and indirect acting nozzles, at the same time and through a single valve controlling device. This is convenientlyaccomplished by connecting the related cleaners, as for example the cleaners 10 (with the direct acting nozzles) and the cleaners 20 (with the indirect acting nozzles).to a single header el-O, the individual cleaning elements 10 and 20 being preferably connected to the header through risers 41. The header i preferably has a union 4:3 therein admitting of the ready connection and disconnection of the part of the header which extends across the space at the end of the boiler. Moreover, the risers ll are preferably connected by unions 4:5 to the header 40.

The cleaning elements and are likewise preferably connected to a single header 30, the said cleaners being conveniently connected to the header through risers 31. Unions 33 and 35 may be placed in the header andrisers, similarly tothe unions 4:3 and 45. A single valve may serve for admitting cleaning fluid to the header 230 and a single valve may serve for admitting cleaning fluid to the header 40.

The operation of the cleaning device will W be apparent from the foregoing description.

It will be apparent from the description hereinbefore given that the apparatus may be operated for cleaning in different ways. If one fluid supply valve, say the valve 50, is opened, the flow induced by the jets in the boiler fines of one group or on one side of the boiler, will occur in one direction, and in the other group in the contrary direction; and by closing valve 50 and opening valve 60, a flow in the opposite direction through the respective boiler tubes or flues will be caused. Thus the flow in any tube or group of tubes may be reversed at will, and as often as desired, whereby to effectively loosen and remove the soot and scale.

The construction wherein induction nozzles alone are used in combination with boiler tubes for cleaning purposes, claimed in our application Serial No. 364-,- 614, filed March 10, 1920.

The inventive ideas set forth may receive other embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described.

hat we claim is 1. A tube system having parallel tubes connected at their respective ends, and means for causing a normal draft through the tubes in one direction, said tubes divided into groups or series, with cleaning means comprising jet-projecting lements having accelerating nozzles located within the tubes, tn-e series of such elements in the tubes of one group discharging in a direction opposed to such normal draft, and the series in the tubes of another group discharging in a direction coinciding with the normal draft,'and controlling valves, whereby on blowing both series of elements a circulation is caused in one direction through one group of tubes and in the reverse direction through the other group of tubes.

2. A system accordingto claim 1, the jetprojecting elements located. near one end of the tubes, those of one series having nozzles directed toward the remote ends and those of the other series having reversed nozzles directed toward the adjacent ends.

A tube system having parallel tubes connected at their respective ends, and meansfor causing a normal draft through the tubes in one direction, said tubes divided into groups or series, with cleaning means comprising jet-projecting elements having accelerating nozzles located within the tubes, the series of such elements in the tubes of one group dischargingin a direction opposed to such normal draft, and the series in the tubes of another group discharging in a direction coinciding with the normal draft, and controlling valves, whereby on blowing both series of elements a circulation is caused in one direction through-one group of tubes and .in the reverse direction through the other group of tubes, the jetprojecting elements located near one end of the tubes, those of one series having nozdirected toward the remote ends and those of the other series having reversed nozzles directed toward the adjacent ends, the elements entering the tubes from the adjacent end, and headersexterior to such adjacent end conducting cleaning fluid to the elements.

4-. A system according to claim 3, the controlling valves being on said respective headers.

A system according to claim 1, with a duplicate arrangement of jet-projecting elements in said tubes, the nozzles thereof directed oppositely to those first referred to, and valves for directing fluid through either set of elements.

6. A. tube cleaner comprising two jet projecting elements adapted to enter the same tube of a tube system, said elements being adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and a second pair of jet projecting elements adapted to enter another tube of the tube system, said second pair of elements being also adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting cleaning fluid to two of said elements at a time, one

located in each tube, and each discharging simultaneously in opposite directions, whereby a force couple is produced 111 said tubes,

one element'being adapted to induce a draft throughone tube, and theother element producing-a direct draft through the other tube, and means for admitting cleanin fiuid'to the other pair of cleaners, one in each tube and adapted to discharge in opposite directions," whereby the direction of the force couple'produced in the tubes is reversed when cleaning fiuid is admitted to said second pair of elements.

7. A tube cleaner comprisingtwo jet projectin'g'elements adapted to enter tube of a-tube' system, said elements being adapted todischarge in opposite directions, and a second pair of et projecting elements adapt ed to'euter'another tube of the tube system, said second pair of elements being also adapt-- ed to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting cleaning fluid to two of said elements at a time, one located in each tube, and each discharging inopposite directions, whereby a force couple is produced in said tubes, one elementbeing adapted to-induce adraft through one tube, and the other element producing a direct draft througlr the'other tube, and means for admitting cleaning fluid to the other pair of cleaners, one in each tube and adapted to discharge in opposite directions, whereby the direction of the force couple produced in the tubes isreversed when cleaning fluid is admitted to said second pair of elements, said pair of cleaners being in sets, and adapted to be placed in a plurality of cleaner tubes, there being a number of directacting elements, and of the indirect acting elements, substantially equal to the number of tubes in the tube system. I

8.1K tube cleaner comprising a plurality of cleaner elements, a pair of elements be ing provided for each individual tube of the tube system, each pair being adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting compressed fluid to one element ofeach pair at a time, cleaning fluid being admitted to a substantially equal number of elements discharging in the two directions, whereby force couples are produced in said tubes, one set of elements being adapted to induce a draft through one set of tubes, and the other set of elements being adapted to produce a direct draft through the other set of tubes.

9. A tube cleaner comprising a plurality of cleaner elements, a pair of elements being provided for each individual tube ot the tube system, each pair being adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting compressed fluid to one element of each pair at a time, cleaning fluid being admitted to a substantially equal number of elements discharging in the two directions, whereby force couples are produced in said tubes. one set of elements being adapted to induce a draft through one set of tubes, and the other set of elements beingadapted to-produce' a direct-draft through the other set of tubes, said means for admitting fluid to ting compressed fluid to one'element of each pair-at atime', cleaning fluid"beingadmitted to substantially-equahnumbeuofelements discharging in* the two directions, whereby force couplesare produced insaid tubes, one set of elements being adapted-to inducea draft through one set of tubes, and the other setof elements being'adapte'd to produce a lirect -dratt throughthe other set of tubes, said means for admittingliuidto the elements comprising a header connected to a substantially equal number of elements discharging in opposite directions, and risers connected to said header, to'which a plurality of said cleaners are connected.

11. A tube cleaner comprising a plurality of cleaner elements,:a:pair of elements being provided for each individual tube of the tube system, each pair beingadapted to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting compressed fluid to one element of each pair at a time, cleaning fluid being admitted to a substantially equal member of elements discharging in the two directions, whereby'forcecouples are produced in said tubes,one set of elements being adapted to-induce a draft through one set oftubes, andthe'other set of elements being adapted to produce a direct draft through the other set of tubes,-said means for admitting compressed fluid to i the elements comprising two headers,- each connected to a substantially equal number 01 elements discharging in opposite directions, and means tor controlling the admission of cleaning fluid to each header.

12. A tube cleaner comprisin a plurality of cleaner elements, a pair of elements being provided for each individual tube of the tube system, eachpair being adapted to discharge in opposite directions,- and means for admitting compressed fluid to one element of each pair at atime, cleaning fluid being admitted; to a substantially equal number of elements discharging in the two directions, whereby force couples are produced in said tubes, one set of elements being adapted to induce a draft through one set-10f tubes-and the other set of elements being adapted to produce a direct dra ft through the other set of tubes, said means for ac'lmitting compressed fluid to the elements comprising a header connected to a part of the elements, a substantially equal ill) number of said elements connected thereto being adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and a second header connected to another part of the elements, a substantially equal number of said elements connected to said second header being adapted to dis charge in opposite directions, whereby a force couple is produced by the discharge from the elements connected to each header, and means for controlling the admission of cleaning fluid to each header. I

13. In combination, a tube system of parallel tubes communicating at their ends and a tube cleaner comprising a jet projecting clement located within a tube of said system, and a second jet projecting element located within another tube of the tube system, said elements being adapted to dis charge in opposite directions whereby a force couple is produced in said tubes, one element being adapted to induce a draft through one tube, and the other element producing a direct dra'tt through the other tube.

lat. In combination, a tube system and a tube cleaner comprising a plurality of cleaner elements, a pair of elements being provided for each individual tube of the tube system, each pair being adapted to discharge in opposite directions, and means for admitting compressed fluid to one element of each pair at a time, cleaning fluid being admitted to a substantially equal number of elements discharging in the two directions, whereby force couples are produced in said tubes, one set of elements being adapted to induce a draft through one set of tubes, and the other set of elements being-adapted to produce a direct draft through the other set of tubes.

15. The combination with a lire tube boiler having two series or groups of fire tubes, of cleaning means comprising pipes located within said tubes, and nozzles carried by said. pipes, a controlling valve and pipes leading therefrom to convey cleaning fluid to said pipes respectively, the nozzles within one group of lire tubes directed in one direction, and those in the other group in the contrary direction, whereby on opening said valve, cleaning fluid is caused to flow in jets from said nozzles in one direction in one set of tubes, and in contrary direction in the other set.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, combined with a duplicate Set of pipes and nozzles controlled by a second supply valve, the nozzles of said second set Within each flue tube arranged to blow in the contrary di rection from those of the first set, whereby when one valve is opened the reversed flow through the boiler fines occurs in one direction, and when instead the other valve is opened, such flow occurs in the contrary direction.

In witness whereof, WQ'llfiVG 1191131111150 signed our names.

FREEERICK W. LINAKER. THEODORE M. BRUBACK. 

